World Population Review

Incarceration Rate
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700

Click on a country for details.

Incarceration Rates by Country 2023

Incarceration is the state of being confined in prison, typically as punishment for a crime. Every
country in the world has a prison system of some sort, though the exact nature of that system—
as well as the number of prisoners incarcerated within it—varies tremendously from country to
country. The United States leads the world in total number of people incarcerated, with more than
Privacy
2 million prisoners nationwide (per data released in October 2021 by World Prison Brief). This
number is equivalent to roughly 25% of the world's total prison population and leads to an
incarceration rate of 629 people per 100,000—the highest rate in the world. The prison
populations in each U.S. state vary from one to the next, with the highest rates in Louisiana and
Oklahoma. Overall, the incarceration rate in the U.S. has skyrocketed in the past decade—the
prison population was a mere 200,000 in 1972, less than a tenth of today's total. However, the
current rate is the lowest it has been in 20 years.

Top 10 Countries with the most people in prison

1. United States — 2,068,800

2. China — 1,690,000
3. Brazil — 811,707
4. India — 478,600
5. Russia — 471,490
6. Thailand — 309,282
7. Turkey — 291,198
8. Indonesia — 266,259
9. Mexico — 220,866
10. Iran — 189,000

Top 10 Countries with the highest rate of incarceration

1. United States — 629

2. Rwanda — 580
3. Turkmenistan — 576
4. El Salvador — 564
5. Cuba — 510
6. Palau — 478
7. British Virgin Islands (U.K. territory) — 477
8. Thailand — 445
9. Panama — 423
10. Saint Kitts and Nevis — 423

Challenges raised by high incarceration rates

Privacy
Mass incarceration in the United States is a civil rights issue. Organizations such as the Prison
Policy Initiative argue that incarceration dehumanizes poor people and minorities, damages
already marginalized communities, and often jails people for small-scale offenses such as
marijuana possession in countries where weed is illegal. Additionally, evidence exists that a high
incarceration rate does not actually increase public safety—a stance often validated by data on
crime rate per country, murder rates, rape statistics, and gun violence per country. Nor, for that
matter, does capital punishment, commonly known as the death penalty.

Mass incarceration can also lead to several logistical issues including prison overcrowding, which
increases health risks and decreases the psychological well-being of those inside. Around the
world, many countries have jail occupancy rates that exceed 100% of their prison system's
capacity. Kenya's jail occupancy level is currently 284%. Additionally, the massive number of
prisons and prisoners places a significant strain on state budgets. Prison costs include adequate
security, food, recreational and education opportunities, infrastructure maintenance, utility costs
for the facilities, healthcare for the prisoners, and (in better prisons) programs to train and
rehabilitate inmates so they are less likely to return to prison in the future. State prison spending
varies greatly and can be as high as $69,355 per inmate per year (the average cost of an inmate
in New York).
* Rate is number incarcerated per 100,000 population

CSV JSON

Country Incarceration Rate Total Incarcerated % Male % Female

United States 629 2,068,800 90% 10%

Rwanda 580 76,099 95% 5%
Turkmenistan 576 35,000 94% 7%
El Salvador 564 36,663 93% 7%
Cuba 510 57,337 0% 0%
Palau 478 86 95% 5%
British Virgin Islands 477 143 96% 5%
Thailand 445 309,282 89% 12%
Panama 434 18,942 95% 5%
Saint Kitts and Nevis 423 220 96% 4%
Grenada 413 463 99% 1%
United States Virgin
394 412 97% 3%
Islands
Bahamas 392 1,617 97% 3%
Uruguay 383 13,402 95% 5%
Privacy
Country Incarceration Rate Total Incarcerated % Male % Female

Brazil 381 811,707 95% 5%

Saint Vincent and the
369 410 97% 3%
Grenadines
Frequently Asked Questions

What country has the highest rate of incarceration?

With over 2 million people incarcerated and a 629 incarceration rate, the United States currently
has the highest number of people in prison.

Where does the US rank in incarceration rate?

When looking at both incarceration rates as well as the number of people incarcerated, the
United States is ranked the highest in the world.

Sources

1. World Prison Population List, 13th Edition (Oct 2021 data) - World Prison Brief
2. Prison population - Prison Studies (Oct 2021 data)
3. States of Incarceration - Prison Policy Initiative

© 2023 World Population Review Privacy Policy Terms Contact About

Privacy